Taste of the Monastery Morning Tour

A historical tour of E.W. Pugin’s neo-gothic, Victorian, Manchester masterpiece

Discover the history of E.W. Pugin’s neo-gothic treasure and walk in the footsteps of the Franciscans. This volunteer guided tour offers a fascinating insight into the life and work of the friars who created this much-loved place of worship and important example of Manchester architecture.

Learn about the rise, decline and fall of The Monastery and its magnificent restoration.  Our guided tours bring this incredible story to life. Come and find out what makes this famous Manchester landmark so special and spend an interesting and enlightening afternoon, steeped in local history & national heritage.

Please note, our morning tour does not include refreshments and the whole experience lasts around 1 hr

If you’d prefer our more leisurely, afternoon tour, which starts at 2pm, lasts around 1.5 hrs and includes refreshments, please click here.

Fast Facts

• This tour is £8
• This is a walking tour of The Monastery and takes around an hour
• Tours take place on selected Mondays at 10:30am
• This tour does not include refreshments
• Children (under 16) free – accompanied by an adult
• Recommended for adults and children aged 12+
• Each tour has a capacity of 15
• Larger groups can pre-book a private tour by contacting [email protected]
• This event is fully accessible for wheelchairs and buggies

Booking info

To book the tour on Monday, May 19th, 2025, please click here.

To book on any other date, please click here.

Recent testimonials

Karen: A very informative tour given by Graham, our tour guide. Thankfully, an ex-choir boy saw the vision of the restoration of this magnificent building and rejoiced in the history of this great town.

Vicky Booth: Guided tour at the Monastery with Graham, who was excellent and gave lots of information about the founding and history of the Monastery. The Monastery itself is a beautiful building with such an interesting history.

Anna: What an extraordinary achievement to have revived Gorton Monastery to its former glory, whilst ensuring its sustainability for the future. Graham was an excellent guide. He is so knowledgeable and enjoyable to listen to. I am in awe of his ability to recall so much information! We have had a wonderful time.

Jill: What a beautiful place—so sad to see the pictures of how it used to be after being vandalised and derelict. The restoration is nothing short of a miracle! So wonderful to know that people care. Very educational too. Graham was a great guide!

Lisa: A very interesting tour given by a very interesting and knowledgeable guide. I will be recommending this visit to friends.

Phil: A very interesting and enlightening visit. Impressive knowledge of the history of the Monastery. A lovely experience with great insights.

Diane: Very knowledgeable staff, beautiful building. Lovely lunch. Thank you!

Brian: I thought the work done is and continues to be amazing. Well done, all.

Jean: Very informative and interesting. Gorton Monastery is a very beautiful place to visit. The history is incredible, and Graham was excellent.

Directions to the Monastery here.